In November, the number of migrants arriving in Italy fell by half from the previous month to 13 740. But the figure was still more than four times the total recorded in the same month of last year despite deteriorating conditions at sea. In the first 11 months of the year, more than 173 000 migrants were detected on the Central Mediterranean route, nearly a fifth more than in the same period of 2015.

Switzerland - IOM reports that 352,471 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2016 through 7 December, arriving mostly in Greece and Italy, compared with 910,563 through this same date in 2015.

Some 174,603 people have arrived by sea in Italy and 172,234 in Greece during 2016, with much smaller numbers arriving in Cyprus and Spain.

Children and youth are on the move, fleeing conflict, persecution, and other situations of violence, poverty, natural disaster and environmental degradation. As a protection and displacement organisation working in 40 countries, DRC encounters children on the move in areas of origin, transit and destination, including in Yemen, Libya, Turkey, and Greece.

Fourth Report on the progress made in the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement

European Commission - Press release

Brussels, 8 December 2016

The Commission is today reporting on progress made in the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement and on the EU's relocation and resettlement schemes.

The Commission also adopted a fourth Recommendation today that takes stock of the progress achieved by Greece to put in place a fully functioning asylum system and sets out a process for the gradual resumption of Dublin transfers to Greece.

Four years ago, Walid Taleb’s boss fastened a long chain around his neck, dragged him around “like a dog” and beat him severely. Why? Because Walid, an undocumented Egyptian migrant who was working informally in a bakery on the island of Salamina at the time, had asked his employer for wages owed to him.

With the onset of winter authorities have yet to fully equip the refugee camps in northern Greece to help withstand the increasingly miserable conditions. Marianna Karakoulaki and Dimitris Tosidis report from four camps.

Switzerland - IOM reports that 351,080 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2016 through 4 December, arriving mostly in Greece and Italy, compared with 883,393 by this time in 2015. Some 173,571 people have arrived by sea in Italy and 171,875 in Greece during 2016.

The total number of migrant and refugee fatalities in the Mediterranean since the beginning of 2016 is now 4,715. This is 1,148 more deaths than at this point last year, when 3,567 men, women and children were reported drowned through November 30.

Santiago, Chile – The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention's Fifteenth Meeting of the States Parties (15MSP) has concluded a week of work in Santiago, Chile, recording success in stockpile destruction with Poland announcing it had destroyed one million stockpiled landmines bringing to 158 the number of States that no longer hold stocks. With Poland's stockpile destruction, the States Parties have now destroyed more than 49 million landmines.

The EU ‘hotspot approach’ was designed to ensure operational support to Member States facing disproportionate migratory pressure. However, one year since the first hotspots was set up and half a year since the entry into force of the EU Turkey Statement, research reveals that the pressure in these countries is growing and the challenges in accessing protection are multiplying.

Priti Patel has announced investments to protect refugees at risk of being trafficked in the Mediterranean region will be doubled.

Delivering the keynote speech at a Freedom Fund event in Central London (1 Dec) to mark International Day for the Abolition of Slavery today (2 Dec), Priti Patel set out how the Department for International Development (DFID) is to boost its support to tackle modern slavery.